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UC Riverside UCSB Miami UC Davis Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI IU Kentucky Ohio State| University of California Santa Cruz | University of Cincinnati Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | UC | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Cincinnati, OH | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,764 | 43,338 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #251 | #431 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | uc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | UC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $11,892 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $28,904 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,785 | $13,048 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,526 | $21,511 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,564 | $8,195 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 68% |
Admission |
UCSC | UC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,845 | 33,165 | ||
| Admitted | 43,054 | 29,077 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.5% | 87.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.2% | 23.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.69 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 24/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1150/1360 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Mar 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSC | UC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | UC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 59% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $45,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 57% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $23,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $237 |
Diversity |
UCSC | UC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% |
Students |
UCSC | UC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 20% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | UC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Cincinnati Main Campus is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (43,338 students vs. 19,764 students)
UCSC vs. UC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or UC?
- University of Cincinnati Main Campus is 0.5% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($11,892.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 47.4% higher at UCSC than University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($42,611.00 vs. $28,904.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than UC ($16,526 vs. $21,511)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Cincinnati Main Campus are 44% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($13,048 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Cincinnati Main Campus than University of California Santa Cruz (68% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 163.1% larger than aid received University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($21,564 vs. $8,195)
UCSC vs. UC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or UC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 36 points higher than at UC (1165)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UC (26)
- Accepted freshman UC students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UC has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than UCSC (62.5%)
UCSC vs. UC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC or UC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UC and UCSC.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (73% vs. 59%)
- Graduates from University of California Santa Cruz earn on average $4,800 more per year than UC graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $45,600)
- University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $3,041 lower median federal student loan debt than UC graduates. ($19,959 vs. $23,000)
- UCSC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than UC graduates. ($206 vs. $237)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/